Evil Venerable of the Sword Dao
Chapter 204 - 098: Preserve the innate nature, the gate to Tao and righteousness.

Chapter 204: Chapter 098: Preserve the innate nature, the gate to Tao and righteousness.

"I hope Zhou Lingzhe can give me some expectations, Artifact Refining, Artifact Refining at my Realm, I don’t even know where else I can do better. It would be good to see Zhou Lingzhe’s ability in Artifact Refining," Elder Wan murmured to himself, his voice tinged with a hint of desolation.

In Artifact Refining, he was already capable of refining top-grade Spirit Level Sword Spirits. Although the success rate was not high, he had reached a certain limit. With such strength, even in the whole Southern Wilderness, he was truly exceptional, and he couldn’t understand how Zhou Yan could refine a Top-grade Spirit Level Sword Spirit at the age of twenty.

If it were someone else saying something like this, he wouldn’t even bother responding and would simply obliterate such nonsense with a wave of Sword Intent a thousand times. But these words came from Hou Yan, and considering Hou Yan’s status and ability, the man might not be spouting nonsense.

Furthermore, Elder Wan didn’t understand Zhou Yan to the same extent as others did, but he knew that Zhou Yan had done a great favor for their Emperor Sword Lineage. Now, when refining the Top-Grade Rune Sword Spirit, he was actually helping them unlock a seal.

Therefore, even though Elder Wan felt that hope was slim, he still harbored a few more expectations.

This mentality was much like a drowning person clinging to a straw, no different in essence.

...

The golden Runes were mysterious and profound; the dense characters that suddenly emerged, squiggling like tadpoles, swam around.

Then, these tadpoles transformed, turning into stars, rushing towards Zhou Yan’s consciousness.

At that moment, Zhou Yan felt as if auspicious colors descended from the sky, and the path of the Tao seemed clearly laid out before him. He saw Immortal Cranes dancing, divine light filling the sky, auspicious clouds suffused with purple qi, butterflies fluttering, as well as Five-Colored Divine Light and the breath of the Seven-Colored Chaos.

All sorts of wonderful phenomena and endless Magic Techniques presented themselves most mysteriously, and Zhou Yan felt as if his spiritual eyes had opened, instantly seeing through the essence of the Tao.

He was intoxicated, reaching out a hand to scoop up the Divine Spring Colorful Light, but the various Runes eluded his grasp, slipping away through his palms just like water would seep through fingers.

This was a profoundly deep Secret Technique, revealing an indescribable Tao. Although Zhou Yan had an astonishing ability to comprehend, he could not penetrate the majestic essence of this Tao.

Apart from deeply understanding and comprehending the essence of the Tao, he also needed a state of Harmonization with the Tao, a belief that the Tao was within easy reach, a Realm where one sword strike embodied the Tao.

Zhou Yan possessed all this, yet they weren’t sufficient to meet such profound requirements, so at this moment, he could only watch these Runes slip away through his fingers, unable to grasp them.

The light remained, but because it was ungraspable, the enlightenment felt somewhat dream-like and dazzling, becoming slightly unreal.

Gradually, this feeling intensified, and Zhou Yan realized that to continue would be futile. Thus, he no longer sought enlightenment.

Stopping that enlightenment, Zhou Yan shuddered, snapping out of his deep contemplation.

Zhou Yan gazed at the golden Rune energy swirling in his hands, finally settling his heart, and began the Condensation of the Rune Sword Spirit.

Previously, what Zhou Yan comprehended was a replay of the Runes consumed by Yanyan. Those Runes, gathered by Zhou Yan with Origin energy, were placed in his palm.

He sought to glimpse information from them and truly understand the mysteries of these Ancient Runes. Unfortunately, after the Runes demonstrated their majestic mysteries, Zhou Yan couldn’t grasp a thing.

He sighed helplessly, lamenting internally that it was such a pity.

His expression, as seen by Elder Wan, the only Artifact Sword Cultivator who was assisting Zhou Yan and whom everyone from the Emperor Sword Wuji lineage respected, left Elder Wan speechless.

From another perspective, even if Elder Wan could condense such Ancient Runes, he thought he would surely be overjoyed.

Elder Wan hadn’t expected that when he first encountered Zhou Yan, Zhou Yan would immediately abandon tradition and begin with ancient Runes to meld the trajectory of the Tao. This act alone made Elder Wan willingly assist Zhou Yan.

Because Elder Wan thought that even if Zhou Yan’s expertise in Ancient Runes was not profound, he could still learn a lot from Zhou Yan’s Artifact Refining and benefit greatly.

Now, seeing how effortlessly Zhou Yan condensed the Runes, even almost fully comprehending the unfathomable ancient Runes, Elder Wan was nearly dumbstruck.

He couldn’t imagine it, but judging by Zhou Yan’s attitude, it seemed far from satisfactory. He felt an urge to cough up blood; his lifelong pursuit had been to comprehend a piece of Ancient Rune, yet unattainable, while Zhou Yan easily understood it so thoroughly yet remained unsatisfied... This truly was a case of envy that could kill.

Elder Wan heaved a sigh, but at the same time, when facing Zhou Yan again, he was utterly convinced. Although Zhou Yan hadn’t even started refining the Artifact yet, Elder Wan believed that with Zhou Yan’s understanding of that Ancient Rune, refining the Rune Sword Spirit would be much easier for him than for himself.

If a person only gropes their way forward, even if they have been walking for ten thousand years, the distance they cover may indeed be vast, but that is only relative to others who walk as well. If someone were to chase after this walker using an ultimate Sword Spirit to flee, a few decades or even just a few years would suffice.

This is much like Artifact Refining. Elder Wan may have spent countless years perfecting his craft, reaching a peak that seemed insurmountable, but compared to Zhou Yan’s Artifact Refining Ability, he still falls short.

Zhou Yan’s time spent refining artifacts may not have been long, but what he carries is the experience of a powerful being who shattered the Void and withstood the endless Heavenly Tribulation across the eons. Just this alone is enough to leave Elder Wan miles behind! Not to mention, this time, having comprehended the Lonely Sword Intent, Zhou Yan’s Soul was elevated by the paths of the past and present to a terrifying extent by the two Supreme Daos!

Even though, at that moment of height, Zhou Yan’s Soul paused only for an instant, after all, it was an experience he had gone through personally, his ability to control his Soul had gone far beyond anything Elder Wan could compare to!

Furthermore, what’s most important is that Zhou Yan’s body harbors an invincible Purple Flame. Such Flames are simply not in the same league as the Sword Intent Flames that regular Artifact Sword Cultivators have.

These things Elder Wan does not know, nor is he capable of knowing, but Zhou Yan understands that his superiority over Elder Wan is no mere fluke.

As for Elder Wan’s initial thoughts, Zhou Yan did not bother explaining anything. Respect is given by others, and the fact they would come to him was already rare enough. What he needed to do was to demonstrate his ability and sincerity so that this person would willingly assist him wholeheartedly.

At this time, despite his failure in comprehending the Rune, Zhou Yan did not make any overt display. He knew that as long as he casually revealed a bit of his Artifact Refining Ability, this Elder would be utterly convinced!

Sure enough, after some deliberation over the Ancient Rune, Elder Wan became so excited that he almost lost control of himself.

"Zhou... Master Zhou, thank you for giving Hou Wanxiao this opportunity. I was rude before, there was still a bit of pride from being an Artifact Sword Cultivator deep down, and for that, I’m truly ashamed."

After reflecting, Hou Wanxiao then looked at Zhou Yan with eyes filled with excitement, shame, and fervor, and spoke respectfully.

"Elder Wan, I cannot see through your Realm, but it is clear that there is an issue with the condensation of a Top-Grade Sword Spirit. This reveals that your understanding of Spirit has yet to reach a height of Ascension."

Zhou Yan, deep in thought, could vaguely sense where Elder Wan’s problem lay, though he could not be certain.

"Yes, yes, please, Master Zhou, enlighten me."

By now, Hou Wanxiao had already performed a formal Disciple’s bow, his already lean and hunched body bending even more profoundly.

Before, though his body was hunched, he still stood upright, refusing to bow to anyone. But now, in this place, this was the third time he had bowed, and this time, it was the deepest bow of all.

"In my case, Artifact Refining is but following the desires of my heart. The Tao is the way of mankind, which leads all things unknowingly.

My heart possesses the Tao; thus when I refine artifacts, the Tao manifests, and as the Tao manifests, the artifact takes form. If I contain the Tao within the artifact, it follows the way of Spirit, and only then can it be considered the Great Tao.

If I am not mistaken, Elder Wan, your Tao is a Lesser Tao, incorporating the Sword Spirit with your own essence. Thus, your personal Tao, even in its Perfection, is inevitably a Lesser Tao."

Zhou Yan thoughtfully said after some contemplation.

He was not showing off, but genuinely moved by this old man’s earnest desire for the Tao, not wishing for him to continue to be trapped in this place.

In Zhou Yan’s memory, his own Master had once struggled at this stage, without anyone to guide him, thus wasting who knows how many years. Later on, it was only upon encountering an old man playing the erhu on the streets that he had his Sudden Enlightenment.

The erhu player was blind, unable to see, his body crippled—yet his erhu played a tune filled with such sorrow that it moved listeners to tears and filled them with sadness.

At that time, the music conveyed a sense of the Tao, prompting his Master to ask the old man what kind of sound it was that could impart one’s sadness to others.

The old man said it began with oneself, but it transcended the individual. One’s own sorrow was merely a Lesser Sorrow. If a nation grieved, if the great tide of events brought sorrow, that would be the Greater Sorrow. His grief was not for himself, but for the tragedy that the people of his nation could not awaken amidst a national crisis...

That single sentence allowed his Master to move from self-enlightenment toward an understanding of Heaven and Earth, freeing himself from his own struggles and sorrows, allowing him to continue on the Great Tao.

Now, seeing this old man, though he initially doubted Zhou Yan’s ability to refine artifacts, yet was still willing to help him bear the adverse consequences of failure, this fact alone demanded respect.

Hence, Zhou Yan explained earnestly—he also hoped that the sole Artifact Sword Cultivator of the Emperor Sword Wuji lineage could take another step forward, for this would be advantageous to the Emperor Sword Wuji lineage and to little Chen.

"This... Master Zhou, thank you! Your words today struck like thunder in my heart, dispelling centuries of perplexity in a single day. I will remember this immense kindness forever!"

Upon hearing this, Hou Wanxiao’s frame shuddered violently, his once dull and murky eyes suddenly blazing with light! His face, previously etched with the lines of time, suddenly glowed with brightness!

In that instant, life burst forth vigorously from his body, which seemed nearly withered to decay!